Bottle carrier



Feb. 9, 1965 R. s. WOLOWICZ 3,168,963

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Oct. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 9, 1965 R. s. WOLOWICZ 3,168,963

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Oct. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 177.06%?" jz'a'ardjwozawigj United States Patent Ofitice 3,168,963 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 3,168,263 BOTTLE CARRIER mohair-d S. Wolowicz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Container Qorperation of America, Chicago, III., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 312,906 6 Claims. (Cl. 220112) The present invention relates to carriers for bottles and similar articles and more particularly to carry-out type packages made from foldable paperboard.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved form of paperboard carrier of simple and economical construction, designed to aiiord a high degree of protection to articles contained therein with a minimum area of paperboard employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paperboard carrier particularly designed for a single row of relatively large size bottles, such as bottles holding a quart or more of liquid, such carrier being formed with a top cushioning section to give maximum protection to the necks and tops of the bottles and at the same time providing an extremely sturdy andeffective handlefor transporting the filled carrier by hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paperboard carrier for a row of bottles, such carrier including a bottom panel having integral partition-forming parts which may be quickly brought into position to provide eifective separating means between adjacent bottles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a form of paperboard bottle carrier which is well adapted for machine packaging of bottles and at the same time may be efiiciently employed solely'in manual packaging or in a combination of manual and machine packaging.

Additional and more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description' proceeds.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a set-up carrier made in accordance with the invention; 1 I

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view ofthe carrier, taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a form of blank from which the carrier may be produced;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the hollow cushioning member inits flat, collapsed condition;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing construction;

FIGURE 6' is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view,"

taken alongline 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a form of blank from which the carrier shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 may be produced. t

The carrier herein disclosed is preferably made from asingle blank of foldable paperboard to include a bottom panel, side wall panels and additional panels foldable into hollow, tubular form to provide a combined handle means, for safely supporting and transporting the carrier by hand, and cushioning means afiording a high degree of protection to the tops and neck portions of the contained bottles. 7

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4, the carrier may conveniently be made from a blank 1 which has been cut and scored to form a central bottom panel 2, and side wall panels 3 and 4, hinged to the bottom panel along fold lines 5 and fi. The side wall'3, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, carries at its free end a plurality of narrow panels 7, 8, 9 and 10 hingw along fold lines 11, 12, 13 ,and 14.

These narrow panels, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, are

foldable into a hollow tubular arrangement to provide the combined cushioning member and carrying means. The narrow panel7, in the set-up form of the carrier is preferably parallel with the bottom panel 2, and narrow panel 9 is disposed in a divergent relation to panel 7, being inclined downwardly in the direction of its fold line connection with panel 8.

Panel 9 is formed with apertures 16, 16 to receive the capped ends of the bottles, one bottle being indicated in broken lines at 17 in FIGURE 2.

Side wall 4 carries at its free end a pair of narrow panels 18 and 19, hinged along fold lines 20 and 21. Panel 13 has a width such that it will overlie the narrow panel 7, forming the top of the hollow cushioning member, and the fold line 21 between panels 18 and 19 will conform to the fold line 11 between side wall 3 and the panel 7, so that the hollow cushioning member is neatly contained within the two panels 18 and 19 and the'upper end of side wall panel 4. These portions thus reinforce the cushioning member and in effect form a part of such member. I I

The panels 18 and 19 are suitably held in their positions partially surrounding the cushioning member. In the present instance, conventional winged tabelements .23 are formed on the free edge of panel 19. These tab elements are receivable within openings 24, 24 in side wall 3, formed in the area above the bottle shoulder abovethe point where the bottle side wall would interfere with the insertion of the tabs 23 within the opening. The openings 24 are cut so that a tab 25 remains in place. This tab is deflected inwardly as the central part of the winged tab 23 is pushed directly through the opening. As soon as the wing portions have entered the opening, pressure is released and the tab 25 moves partially toward its original position and assists in maintaining the winged tab in locked condition. ii i v For the purpose of using the cushioning member as a carrying means an opening 26 is formed in the upper part of side wall 4, the opening being of sufiicient extent laterally of wall 4 to admit the fingers of a person desiring to lift the carrier. Aflap 27 is left within the opening 26 and is swingable along hinge line 28. As shown in FIG URE 2, the hinge line 28 is made to register with the hinge line 13 between narrow panels .8 and 9. The flap 27 may thus be swung inwardly and upwardly to lie flat against panel 9. A central notch 29 is preferably formed in the free edge of flap.27 to fit partially about the neck of the center bottle of a row of three bottles contained in the carrier. I i

The hollow cushioning member may be formed .as a collapsed tube by securing the narrow panel 10 against the upper end portion of side wall panel 3, as by means of adhesive. This is preferably done at the carton plant. A convenient method is to apply adhesive to the panel 10 and fold the panels together so'that narrow panels 9 and 10 will lie fiat against the side wall panel 3 and narrow panels 7 and 8 will lie fiat against and outside of panels 9and 10. This will determine the position of panel 10 with respect to fold line 11. With the panels of the cushioning member so secured, these panels may be brought to expanded condition and it is not necessary that the panels form a parallelogram in cross section.

The combined Width of panels 9 and 10 is made slightly less than that; of the panels 7 and S, as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the outer free edge of panel 10 will be clear of the fold line 11. To facilitate bringing the panels to hollow tubular condition, the fold lines 12 and 14 are preferably pre-broken before the panel 10 is secured in place. i I 1 The upward inclination of the narrow panel 9, asshown in FIGURE 2, is an advantage in lifting the carrier as it tends to assure that the carrying surface will not slip off the fingers of the person lifting the carrier.

For the purpose of retention of the end bottles and prevent them from slipping out the open ends of the carrier, the carrier is formed with foldable edge strips 31, 31 defined from the edges of the bottom and side panels by foldlines 32, 32. At the ends of fold lines and 6, there are formed foldable gussets 33, 33 by impressing pairs of score lines 34, 34, disposed angularly across the strips and meeting at the intersections of fold lines 5 and 6 with fold line 32. This divides each strip into an upwardly foldable section 35, attached to each end of the bottom panel,

and two inwardly foldable sections 36, 36, attached to the edges of side wall panels 3 and 4. As shown in FIG- URE 1, when the inwardly foldable sections 36 are folded to lie flat against their attached walls, the intermediate section 35 will assume a vertical position effectively holding the end bottle from slipping outwardly of the carrier.

Upwardly foldable pairs of partition panels are formed by cutting them from within the contour of the bottom panel. These panels, indicated at 37, 37 and 38, 38, are somewhat elongated to extend generally centrally and lengthwise of the bottom panel. Partition panels 37 are hinged to the bottom panel along fold lines 39, and panels 38 are hinged along fold lines 40. These fold lines extend transversely of the length of the bottom panel and, preferably, the hinge lines of each cooperating pair of partitions 37, 38 are in alignment and located on lines coincident with the meeting points of the two outside bottles with the'center bottle.

The construction of the partition panels is such that, when they are in raised position, portions of some or all of the panels will extend transversely of the longitudinal center of the carrier and thus'effectively separate the surfaces of adjacent bottles. Each partition 37 is cut from the outer end portion of the bottom panel has an offset section 41 which extends somewhat beyond'the bottom panel center line with respect to the hinge line.

The partition panels 38, 38 are preferably formed with interfitting serrations 42, 42 which extend beyond the bottom panel center line with respect to the panel hinge lines 40. It is to be noted that the serrated portions 42, 42 are cut in such manner'as to utilize all cut-out portions without leaving waste fragments which must be stripped from the blank. The serrations or finger-like extensions 42, as best shown in FIGURE 2, when both panels 37 and 38 are raised to upright position, provide in effect a double thickness of paperboard between adjacent bottles, and this double thickness extends a substantial distance vertically of the bottle sides. I

By referenceto FIGURE 3, it is to be noted that the hinge lines of the partitions are relatively short and that are of substantial width and provide adequate support for the bottles resting on the bottom panel.

In the form of the inventionfillustrated in 5, 6 and 7, the hollow cushioning and handle member is formed somewhat narrower and with vertical narrow panels which are parallel to each other. Finger openings are formed in both side wall panels whereby the fingers of- The portion of the blank at the end of panel 53 is scored to provide five narrow panels 57, 58, 59, and 61. These panels are defined from panel 54 and from each other by the fold lines 62, 63, 64, and 66 respectively. The panel 57 on the free end of side wall panel 53, and which may be considered as a part of such side wall panel, is deflected slightly from the plane of the main portion of panel 53 so as to project upward in a plane normal to the bottom panel. Panels 58, 59, 60 and 61 are arranged in expanded tubular form with panel 61 secured to the inside surface of panel 57.

Openings are made in the narrow panel 60 to receive the tops of the bottles. These openings are preferably formed by making H-shaped slits in the panel which produces a pair of inwardly swingable tabs 68, 68 at each opening.

The panel 54 carries at its end two narrow panels 69 and '70 foldable along score lines 71 and 72. In the assembled form of the carrier, panel 69 will lie against the outer surface of panel 59, and the panel 7 E) will lie against the upper face of panel 58. Either one or both of the panels 69 and may be secured, as by means of adhesive, to their contacting panels 58 and 59 after bottles have been loaded within the carrier.

Finger openings for supporting the carrier by hand are formed in panels 53 and 54 just below the respective score lines 62 and 71. In making these openings foldable flaps are left within such openings, indicated at 73, '73 and 74, 74. These flaps will be left undisturbed until such time that it is desired to transport the carrier by hand. The flaps may then be folded inwardly to bear against the under surface of the narrow panel 60. See FIGURE 6.

The tubular cushioning and carrying member is preferably assembled in collapsed, tubular form at the carton plant. The manner of assembly is similar to that explained in the first described form of the invention.

For ease in opening the carrier shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, the side wall panel 53 may be formed with diagonal rows of slits, indicated at 75 and 76, to provide lines of tear, so that the side wall may be easily disrupted. These slits, however, do not appreciably weaken the wall in ordinary usage of the carrier.

Both forms of carrier herein described-tare well suited for use on bottle packaging machines of the type in which flat blanks are advanced toward a loading point. The partitions will be brought to upright position during such advance of the blank; the bottles are then deposited onto the bottom 'panel, after which the side walls are swung up by plow means. Suitable guides or plows will control the hollow cushioning member and assemble it over the bottle tops. The carrier will then be closed by inserting winged tabs into-theirlocking openings, for the firstform,

FIGURES a person may extend inwardly from one side of the handle carrier blank 51 may be identicalwith that of FIG- URE 3. The side wall panels 53 and 54 carry narrow panels at their free ends to form the hollow cushioning and carrying member. 1 V

or the panel 70 may besecured by adhesive to panel 53 as shownin the second form. A the side walls are being brought to raised position, the end retaining strip 35 may be swung up'to retaining position and the strips 36, 36 may be folded to lie flat against their attached side wall panels. These strips are held in place against their attached walls byreason of their innermost edge portions being wedged between the vertical bottle surfaces and their attached walls, I

While the present description sets forth preferred forms of the invention, variou changes rnay be made in the con- 7 struchons disclosed without departing from the spirit of a 1. A sleeve-type, wraparound, paperboard carrier for packaging a plurality of bottles,having upwardly tapered neck portions, arranged in a row, said carrier comprising:

v (a) a generallyrectangular bottom wall panel;

(b) a pair of opposed side wall panels hinged to'and upstanding from opposed side edges of said bottom wall panel, and having upper portion inclined toward each other to conform generally to the neck portions of the bottles;

(0) a cushioning member carried by one of said side wall panels, extending longitudinally of the carrier between upper portions of said side wall panels, and including:

'(i) a first narrow panel hinged to the upper edge of said one side wall panel and extending toward the other side wall panel over the upper extremities of said bottles;

(ii) a second narrow panel hinged to said first narrow panel and extending downwardly therefrom inwardly adjacent said other side wall panel;

(iii) a third narrow panel hinged to said second narrow panel and extending toward said one side Wall panel in spaced relation to said first narrow panel;

(iv) a fourth narrow panel hinged to said third narrow panel and extending upwardly therefrom inwardly adjacent said one side wall panel to form with said one side wall panel and said other narrow panels an elongated tubular structure at the top of the carrier;

(d) at least one of said side Wall panels having formed therein a finger opening located immediately below the third narrow panel of said cushioning member to permit the weight of the carrier to be supported by said cushioning member when the carrier is lifted;

(e) mean for securing said other side wall panel to one of said tubular structure and said one side wall panel.

2. A paperboard carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said side wall panels have finger openings located immediately below the third narrow panel of said cushioning member.

3. A papenb'oard carrier as defined in claim 1, and including an extension hinged to the upper edge of said other side wall panel and secured to said tubular structure.

4. A paperboard carrier as defined in claim 1, and in cluding an extension hinged to the upper edges of said other side wall panel, overlying said tubular structure, and secured to said one sidewall panel.

5. A paperboard carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein the third narrow panel of said cushioning member has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures to receive end portions of packaged bottles.

6. A paperboard carrier, as defined in claim 1, in which the third panel of the cushioning member is inclined upward slightly away from the finger opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,877 8/34 Cubberley 220-108 2,074,477 3/37 Kondolf 229-52 2,339,176 1/44 Lee 206- 2,964,230 12/60 Nemoedi 229-42 3,086,680 4/63 Graser 20665 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,018,699 10/52 France. 529,263 6/55 Italy.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SLEEVE-TYPE, WRAPAROUND, PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR PACKAGING A PLURALITY OF BOTTLES, HAVING UPWARDLY TAPERED NECK PORTIONS, ARRANGED IN A ROW, SAID CARRIER COMPRISING: (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BOTTOM WALL PANEL; (B) A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS PANELS HINGED TO AND UPSTANDING FROM OPPOSED SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL PANEL, AND HAVING UPPER PORTIONS INCLINED TOWARD EACH OTHER TO CONFORM GENERALLY TO THE NECK PORTIONS OF THE BOTTLES; (C) A CUSHIONING MEMBER CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CARRIER BETWEEN UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, AND INCLUDING: (I) A FIRST NARROW PANEL HINGED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE SIDE WALL PANEL AND EXTENDING TOWARD THE OTHER SIDE WALL PANEL OVER THE UPPER EXTREMITIES OF SAID BOTTLES; (II) SECOND NARROW PANEL HINGED TO SAID FIRST NARROW PANEL AND EXTENDING TOWARD FROM INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID OTHER SIDE WALL PANEL; (III) A THIRD NARROW PANEL HINGED TO SAID SECOND NARROW PANEL IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST NARROW WALL PANEL IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST NARROW PANEL; (IV) A FOURTH NARROW PANEL HINGED TO SAID THIRD NARROW PANEL AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID ONE SIDEWALL PANEL TO FORM WITH SAID ONE SIDE WALL PANEL AND SAID OTHER NARROW PANELS AN ELONGATED TUBULAR STRUCTURE AT THE TOP THE CARRIER; (D) AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS HAVING FORMED THEREIN A FINGER OPENING LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE THIRD NARROW PANEL OF SAID CUSHIONING MEMBER TO PERMIT THE WEIGHT OF THE CARRIER TO BE SUPPORTED BY SAID CUSHIONING MEMBER WHEN THE CARRIER IS LIFTED; (E) MEANS FOR SECURING SAID OTHER SIDE WALL PANEL TO ONE OF SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE AND SAID ONE SIDE WALL PANEL. 